The International Lutheran Laymen’s League/Lutheran Hour Ministries serves as a grassroots auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and Lutheran Church—Canada and is proud to extend the mission and ministry of these two church bodies by focusing our energies on a mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations®—and the Nations to the Church. The International Lutheran Laymen’s League (Int’l LLL) is the corporate name under which the organization does business; Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) is the public identity under which we conduct global Gospel outreach. In fulfilling this year’s convention theme of Christ Is Risen Indeed, LHM is a trusted resource in Gospel proclamation
with a global network of partners. We work in areas where other Christian organizations are often not present and use local staff and volunteers who know the language and culture to create con textually relevant programs that most effectively share the Good News with individuals living in these regions.
God’s Blessings Upon LHM’s Outreach in the Past Triennium As we build upon LHM’s nearly 110-year history and move forward into the mission field, great opportunities abound: • Five billion people have yet to hear the saving message of Christ.
- Technology allows us to engage with each other more efficiently and effectively than at any other time in history, especially as people crave a relationship with God and each other.
- We can use our gifts to make a real difference right where we are, among people we know and see every day. Our faith, put into action on a local level, can make an immediate and personal impact in our neighborhoods and beyond.
The following strategic priorities support our vision for the future and Christ’s call to reach the world with the Gospel.
Impacting People Globally Around the world, people long to hear the Good News in a way that speaks to their own lives. LHM stands apart from most global media ministries through the implementation of a ministry model that goes far beyond translation to transformation through the Holy Spirit. Our ministry model identifies and equips local leaders who understand the language, customs, and daily realities of their communities. These cultural insiders are uniquely positioned to share Christ’s love in ways that connect with people, meeting them where they are and addressing the needs they face every day. Through locally developed programs, resources, and media in native languages, LHM proclaims the hope of the Gospel in ways that build trust and open doors for lasting relationships. This personal connection draws people into fellowship and strengthens local Christian communities across the globe. Our establishment of a multi divisional global mission rooted in localized regional leadership moved forward with the hiring of a president of Asia Ministries based in Singapore, LHM’s first regional president living outside of the United States. By shifting leadership to regional presidents who are located closer to where ministry is happening, LHM can ensure that our mission is tailored to the unique needs of specific areas. Over the past couple of years, LHM has opened six new mission fields that uplift the next generation of Christian leaders to begin new ministries in partnership with existing ministry centers. Teams in Peru, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bolivia are now sharing the Gospel in their home countries through teams of three local people focused on children and youth ministry, digital outreach through social media, and multimedia content creation. In addition, LHM–Kenya started airing evangelistic radio spots in a new area—in neighboring Tanzania. By working with local Lutherans from Tanzania, the inspiring Gospel messages are advertising LHM’s popular Bible Correspondence Courses via radio. LHM continues to partner with SAT-7, the largest Middle East and North African Christian satellite network, to make God’s love visible to millions of people in more than 20 countries throughout
the region. In addition to a newly launched seventh season of Arabic programming that explores themes common to young adults from a biblical perspective, a multi-language project called Reconnecting the MENA to Hope uses selected topical content from LHM booklets to offer hope in Jesus through unique satellite broadcasts, digital and social media, and direct follow-up. Programs air on three channels: SAT-7 ARABIC, SAT-7 PARS (for Persian speakers), and SAT-7 TÜRK (for Turkish speakers). Each channel’s programming is tailored to the unique language, culture, and felt needs of its audience, and points viewers to additional resources to help them further explore the topics covered. Holistic outreach is an effective way of demonstrating to people the love of Christ. These programs have a comprehensive impact in reaching both body and soul as a ministry to the un church ed in word and deed where both physical and spiritual needs are addressed. In African nations like Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and Liberia, our successful holistic programs continue to reach at-risk young adults, especially women, through medical camps, prison ministry, vocational training, and spiritual guidance and fellowship.
Impacting People through Digital Engagement In today’s digital age, more people than ever are searching online for guidance on topics like stress, anxiety, depression, fear, guilt, toxic relationships, and other relevant issues. Vivenciar. net continues to be an instrumental platform for reaching Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking individuals worldwide, including an increased focus on connecting with Hispanics living in the United States. Vivenciar.net assists these individuals through live chats, blog posts, articles, e-books, and courses. It also offers a safe space where trained volunteers can listen to what people have to say about specific situations in their lives and accompany them in these moments with biblically based support and guidance. Our “by Hispanics, for Hispanics” approach to creating content continues to resonate with a growing digital-first Hispanic audience that is hungry for ministry resources that share the hope of the Gospel. The Sentido Latino podcast is now available on You Tube, an additional platform to reach out with our Hispanic ministry messages and resources to new communities in the United States and beyond. In less than a year, our You Tube channel has more than 50,000 subscribers. Sentido Latino also has more than 1 million views across all platforms. Thred continues to create content to equip Christians for sharing their faith in the digital world. Our newest downloadable resources were created to help individuals tell their story. The Search for Self reminds users that as Christ-followers we identify as children of God, which in this image-oriented world we live in is not always easy to remember. Not My Job encourages people to see their place in the Gospel narrative and inspires them to talk about what God has done and is doing in their lives. In addition, Thred’s weekly email series delivers content to more than 21,000 subscribers and offers a way for subscribers to join the conversation through polls or specific feedback prompts followed by comment boxes. Our annual Gospel Adventures™ program reaches around 40,000 elementary and middle school students each year. This interactive virtual experience includes a five-day curriculum, videos, theme music, hands-on activities, and more—all working together to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the work of the Gospel in their own lives and how God is at work in people’s lives in another part of the world. The 2026 program explores
Mongolia. “The Lutheran Hour®” continues to expand its reach through digital means beyond traditional radio stations in North America. While it currently airs each week on around 1,700 stations as well as the American Forces Network, the program is also available online, as a podcast, and on media platforms like Amazon Alexa, Spotify, i Heart Radio, Google Home, and Sirius XM satellite radio.
The “Connected by LHM” app allows people to get many LHM resources in one place on their Android devices or i Phones. In addition to being able to read and listen to LHM’s Daily Devotions, users can also access The Lutheran Hour sermons, topical booklets, Bible studies, and more.
Impacting People Right Where They Are Growing diversity, cultural shifts, and spiritual hunger are reshaping North America—opening new doors to share the unchanging hope of Jesus. The mission field is no longer far away; it is right outside our doors. God has called all laypeople to be powerful witnesses for Christ with their families and communities. LHM continues to produce timely resources that offer convenient ways for people to connect with Jesus and share their faith with others. From the popular Project Connect booklet ministry with more than 50 titles to dozens of online LHM Learn courses under five faith-strengthening categories, and from daily and seasonal devotions to online video Bible studies, LHM has numerous offerings to connect with people at any stage of their individual faith journeys. Several years ago, LHM began a partnership with Barna Group, a world-renowned, premier Christian research firm. The resulting research findings have allowed LHM to provide timely and relevant resources that meet people where they are by equipping individuals and churches to engage in fruitful spiritual conversations, deepen faith in households, impact neighborhoods with the Good News of Jesus Christ, and develop their God-given talents. They enable us to gain a hearing for the Gospel in an inviting and contextual way—guiding those who seek toward faith.
Spiritual Conversations: Sharing Life, Faith, and Jesus with Friends is a seven-lesson curriculum to encourage high schoolers to engage their peers with the Gospel by helping them recognize and respond to opportunities to have spiritual conversations. Combining insights from Barna Group research and LHM’s commitment to equipping people for sharing the Gospel, this course includes interactive group activities, videos, data to consider, opportunities for discussions on Scripture and faith-sharing conversations, and more. Schools, Sunday school classes, small groups, and youth groups are already benefiting from this easy-to-implement—and fun—resource. The Hopeful Neighborhood Project™ from LHM is moving forward as a collaborative network committed to improving neighborhood well-being around the world. The program’s resources and online network equip and encourage neighbors to work together, using their gifts and the gifts of their community, to pursue the common good of their neighborhood. One of its partner programs, Missouri Good Neighbor Week, was recognized as the Best Neighborhood Program of the Year during the 2023 Neighborhoods USA conference. As a self-funded project of our Southern California District of the Lutheran Laymen’s League, the Lutheran Hour Ministries float continues to reach millions as the only Christian float in the annual Rose Parade. The 2026 float celebrated 75 years of Gospel proclamation through the parade with an entry titled “Bringing Christ to the Nations” that honored the diverse vocations through which God builds His Church. The float’s message was simple yet profound: every person has a place and a purpose in sharing Christ’s love, and together we can bring that hope to the world.
We continue to plan according to these primary focus areas: • Proclaiming Christ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! (Psalm 96:3)
- Supporting Missions And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)
The Results of God’s Blessings • By God’s grace, LHM’s programs and resources reach people around the world with the Gospel nearly 275 million times each week.
- Equipping Women Now may the God of peace … equip you with everything good that you may do his will. (Heb. 13:20–21)
- Outreach through LHM’s global ministry programs has, by the power of the Holy Spirit, netted almost two 2 million responses and more than 405,000 individuals referred to churches and Christian communities this past year.
- Serving Others As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another. (1 Peter 4:10a)
- Individuals were equipped to more effectively share their faith around 455,000 times last year.
- Around 390,000 constituents are currently engaged with our global ministry efforts through giving, volunteering, or using our resources.
Vision for the Future With billions still waiting to hear the saving message of Jesus Christ, LHM continues to move forward under the following vision: • Every person has the opportunity to hear the Gospel in an understandable way.
- Those seeking are connected to a healthy Christian community where they can grow in their faith.
- Every Christian is equipped to share the Gospel in word and deed.
- Engaged Christians advance this common mission as a global community.
We are called to act now! LHM stands ready to embrace this exciting future of global ministry as a strong, emergent, future-focused ministry that harnesses new opportunities, research, and resources to fulfill our mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations®— and the Nations to the Church. Together, we can work to grow the Body of Christ—one life at a time—all for the glory of God. On behalf of all of us at LHM, thank you for your service. May God richly bless your work in the name and for the sake of Jesus! Kurt S. Buchholz, Global CEO